"the latest announcements by the so-called prime minister and defence minister prove that the Iraqi government is determined to eliminate the al-Sadr movement".

"The latest announcements by the so-called prime minister and defence minister prove that the Iraqi government is determined to eliminate the al-Sadr movement"

Abd Al-Hadi al-Darraji, spokesman for Muqtada al-Sadr

"However, God's will and our firm stance against the occupation forces and their collaborators oblige us to defend our holy sites, our pride and the independence of our country," he said.

The spokesman told Aljazeera he

survived an assassination attempt on Sunday after a TV interview with the Lebanese al-Manar Channel, during which he

heavily criticised the occupation forces and the appointed Iraqi interim government.

"In the interview, I criticised the government for all the decisions it made against the people of Iraq. I said the government should dedicate its decisions for the welfare of the Iraqis not that of the US occupation forces," he said.

"And the result was the killing of my cousin Amir Aziz al-Darraji, one of the mujahidin [fighters] in the city, as he was with me in my car."

Although he

laid the blame for the death at the hands of Iraq's occupation authorities, no occupation official has responded to the allegations thus far.